Antivirus Software
A virus scanner is possibly the most important piece of software that is installed on your computer. Protection from viruses is only as good as the last update. Out of date virus protection may as well not be on the … Take lesson
Changing Desktop Background in Windows 7
Many people like to customise the way their computer desktop appears, to make it less cluttered. In this lesson we’ll see some common techniques to change the desktop. Use the buttons below to navigate through the lesson First, right click … Take lesson
Cleaning Temporary Files and History with Free Software for Windows
In this lesson we will look at another common computer maintenance task – removing temporary files using some free software. When we use our computers often old temporary files are left lying around by programs. Over time they can accumulate … Take lesson
Connecting to Wireless Networks in Windows
In this lesson we look at connecting to a standard wireless network in Windows. To access the internet you must be connected to a network. Often nowadays these networks are wireless, also sometimes called WiFi. Use the buttons below to … Take lesson
Creating User Accounts in Windows
In order to use a Windows computer you must log on with your user account. Here we see how to create a new account. Use the buttons below to navigate through the lesson We might want to have multiple accounts … Take lesson
Desktop and My Documents
The Windows desktop provides a convenient location for storing files and folders. The desktop can contain shortcuts to applications and documents that you access frequently. This lesson is based on Windows XP, but if you understand this you will understand … Take lesson
Disk Clean Up
Disk cleanup can be used to clear unused files on the hard drive and offers more options than just emptying the recycle bin and deleting temporary internet files. Files such as temp, office setup and old restore points can be … Take lesson
Disk Defragmenter
When files are created on the hard disk they are placed one after another. If a file is reopened and worked on, the new part has to be placed in the next available free space, so the file becomes fragmented. … Take lesson
Favorites
Favourites or bookmarks is a list of internet sites that have been visited and kept for future reference. As this list grows it can be come untidy and difficult to navigate. The following section will describe how to delete items … Take lesson
File Systems
Once a partition/volume has been created, it then needs to be formatted with a File System. A File System organises and allows for the retrieval of the data stored on the disk. This mechanism is similar to how office file … Take lesson
Files and Folders
Files are organized on your computer in folders. If it helps, think of your computer as a filing cabinet. There may be drawers that group information or paperwork, e.g. one drawer for household items, another for personal items and so … Take lesson
How to Create an E-mail account online
In this lesson we will see how to create an email account using an online service. E-mail is a standard way of sending messages to a person or business over the internet. In order to send and receive email we … Take lesson
How to install software in Windows
Windows operating system is very powerful, but it does not have the ability to do everything we might want to do with our computers. We can add new programs to our computer in order to increase our capabilities. In this … Take lesson
Introduction To Hardware
The interior of a computer looks very complicated at first glance. When the case is removed there is a mass of bits, cables and components that can intimidate the uninitiated. This lesson will seek to dispense some of the mist … Take lesson
Introduction to Multiple Hard Drives
In this lesson we will look at the principle of using multiple hard drives for backup or redundancy purposes. In later lessons we look at specific ways of achieving this. As we know, the hard drive is where permanent information … Take lesson
Introduction To Windows
Operating Systems The most important piece of software on any computer is the operating system. The operating system gives the framework upon which all other services and applications run. The majority of home users use a Windows based machine. Most … Take lesson
Managing Desktop Icons in Windows XP
The icons on the desktop can also have their appearance and size changed we have already used the display properties to alter the size of these. Now we will look at placing new ones on the desktop and creating shortcut … Take lesson
Recycle Bin
When a file is deleted from the hard drive it is placed by default in the recycle bin, only when the recycle bin is emptied is the file actually removed from the hard drive and the disk space can be … Take lesson
Scan Disk
Scandisk is used to check the integrity of the file system, also to scan the physical hard disk for bad sectors. These bad sectors can lead to data loss or corruption and are one of the first signs of a … Take lesson
Simple Guide to Backup And Restore in Windows
It is important to backup your data regularly so you do not lose it. In this lesson we look at the Backup & Restore tool included with Windows. This tool is very powerful but we will look at the most … Take lesson
Temporary Internet Files and Cookies
Temporary Internet Files: for every website that is visited whilst browsing the internet, files and pictures are stored on your computer. They are stored as cached copies so the website can be displayed quicker if revisited. These files can occupy … Take lesson
The Windows Start Menu
The Start Menu has been a standard feature in Microsoft Windows ever since Windows 95. It has changed and evolved over the years but the essential idea has remained the same: it is the central place where you can find … Take lesson
Uninstall Software
In common with installation, uninstalling software should always be done in the correct manner to minimise the risk of corrupting the operating system. The following lesson describes two methods of correctly uninstalling software. 1. using the software’s own uninstaller 2. … Take lesson
Using Remote Desktop in Windows
In this lesson we will have a brief introduction to using Remote Desktop – a component of Windows that allows us to control another computer remotely. Sometimes we need to operate a computer remotely. For example perhaps we are maintaining … Take lesson
What is a Network?
In this lesson we will learn the basics of what is a computer network. In the early days of personal computing computers were usually disconnected from one another. They would be used for document writing and calculations, and special equipment … Take lesson
